Sales Guide

in the Kings Nook

Fssen Tourismus Kaiser-Maximilian-Platz 1 87629 Fssen Telephone: ++49 (0) 83 62 93 85-0 Telefax: ++49 (0) 83 62 93 85-60 www.fuessen.de
a.hiltensperger@info.fuessen.de k.glowalla@info.fuessen.de

Fssen Tourismus:
Welcome to Fssen in the Kings Nook Discover Explore Experience Enjoy more than 700 years of history the numerous sights the many leisure offers an unforgettable stay in the holiday Region of Fssen

Fssen in brief:
Population approx. Town area: Altitude: 14,000 4.351 ha (10,730 acres) 800 1.200 m (2620 3940 feet) (the Bavarian town at the highest altitude) At the southern end of the Romantic Road, 4 km (2.5 miles) away from the famous castle of Neuschwanstein Beds 7000, Hotels 30 About 1,030,000 in 2003

Fssen Tourismus is a professional and competent partner to help you plan and organise your activities in the Kings Nook. Our Services: General information and brochures on request Organization and booking of package offers Booking and organization of guided tours and visitors programmes Organization and management of meetings and conferences Arranging accommodation Arranging bus transfers Preparations for inspection visits and arranging contacts with the appropriate partners in your field Press and public relations activities Research into subjects relating to Fssen Providing texts for your Fssen advertising media Pictures of the Knigswinkel: we can offer you a selection of slides or photos on CD-Rom Take advantage of our press service with photographs via the internet: www.fuessen.de/Kontakt & Service/Presseservice/Bilder (User name: presse, Password: presse).

Situation:

Accommodation: Overnight stays:

Legend Motorway Romantic Road Railway Federal road IR lines with trains every two hours (KarlsruhePforzheim-Stuttgart-Esslingen-Plochingen-UlmAugsburg and Dresden [Berlin/Leipzig]-Hof-Regensburg-Munich-Kaufbeuren) There are connections with hourly trains after changing at Augsburg, Munich and Kaufbeuren for Fssen.

Arrival
ROADS
BAB (= autobahn, motorway) A 7 Ulm-Kempten to the end of the motorway, 18 km (11 miles) before Fssen. B (= country road) 309, B 310, B 16 and B 17 (Romantic Road from Wrzburg to Fssen)

BUS CONNECTIONS
There are regular bus connections between Fssen, its districts of Hopfen am See and Weissensee and to the Festspielhaus Neuschwanstein (theatre) and to most of the tourist attractions in the surroundings. Buses on the route to the royal palaces of Neuschwanstein/Hohenschwangau and on to the Tegel cable railway run at one-hour intervals during the day.
Munich

The visual appearance

for Apple Macintosh/Windows with pictures of Fssen-Bad Faulenbach Hopfen am See Weissensee

RAIL
Your railway connections: ICE lines with trains every hour (Hamburg-HanoverGttingen-Kassel-FuldaWrzburg-NuremburgAugsburg and FrankfurtMannheim-Stuttgart-UlmAugsburg) IC lines with trains every hour (Dortmund-EssenDsseldorf-CologneBonn-Coblenz-MainzAugsburg) and every two hours (Berlin-LeipzigJena-Saalfeld-BambergNuremburg-Augsburg)

AIR
Augsburg Airport (about 110 km, 68 miles), shuttle buses to Main Station, train connections to Fssen. Munich Airport (about 160 km, 100 miles), take S-Bahn (rapid-transit train) to Main Station, change for Fssen by railway. Stuttgart Airport (about 210 km, 130 miles), S-Bahn to Main Station, train connections to Fssen via Augsburg.

in the Kings Nook

Fssen Tourismus Kaiser-Maximilian-Platz 1 D-87629 Fssen Telephone: ++49 83 62 9 38 5-0 Telefax: ++49 83 62 93 85-60 www.fuessen.de a.hiltensperger@info.fuessen.de k.glowalla@info.fuessen.de
Stand 09/2004

royal castles AUSTRIA

Fssen in the Kings Nook:

Jewel in a Majestic Alpine Setting

Fssen greets approaching travellers from afar this beautiful country town presents a truly idyllic vista, doing justice to the Romantic Road on which it lies. The High Castle, the Baroque abbey of St Mang and the mosaic of rooftops are set picturesquely in the lush green countryside. The towns 700 years of history have left behind plenty of monuments and relics. In the winding streets and alleyways of the medieval Old Town the Gothic gabled roofs of the tall patrician houses rub shoulders with the remains of the old city walls and Baroque and Rococo churches, creating a contrasting but pleasantly harmonious ensemble. The Hohes Schlo (High Castle) overlooking the town was once the summer residence of the prince bishops of Augsburg; their former residential chambers now house an excellent art gallery, a branch of the great Bavaria State Painting Collections. Directly beneath the castle stand the magnificent Baroque buildings of the former Benedictine abbey of St Mang. Inside travellers will find the towns museum with a great collection of historic lutes and violins, splendid Baroque halls and the famous Dance of Death of Fssen. Fssen has more to offer than cultural attractions, however. The beautiful surrounding countryside is a paradise for walkers and hikers, and also offers opportunities for sporting activities of all kinds, in winter especially for Alpine skiing, cross country skiing and ice-skating. You can choose between the gentle rolling hills of the Allgu, the wild mountain scenery of the Ammergau, Lechtal and Tannheim Alps and the idyllic lake district in the Alpine foothills. Those interested in health holidays will find outstanding facilities at the health resort hotels and sanatoriums in Fssen and its environs, with a rich selection of health, fitness and wellness programmes. There are always a wealth of high-class cultural events taking place in Fssen and the surrounding area. One of the cultural musts is the romantic Kaiserfest (Emperors Festival), a medieval open-air festival which every year takes place for three days at the old town centre of Fssen. A fascinating event bringing back to life the golden era of the towns history.

Fssens Sights
Medieval town centre Fssen is a town with deep roots and a past that goes back more than two thousand years. Discover Fssens varied history and its art treasures on a walk through the historical town centre. Baroque churches St Mang (basilica minor), Church of the Holy Ghost Hospital, St Stephan, St Sebastian, St Nikolaus, Frau-am-Berg-Kirche, St Peter and Paul (Hopfen am See), St Walburga (Weiensee). The Fssen Heritage Museum (Museum der Stadt Fssen), Lechhalde 3 This museum is situated in the south-west wing of the former Benedictine Monastery of St Mang, which was built at the beginning of the 18th century. The former cells of the Benedictine monks house valuable works of arts and archaeological finds from the 1000-year history of this former abbey, an exhibition about the towns history and one of the finest collections in Europe of historical lutes and violins recalling Fssens importance as the cradle of the commercial manufacture of lutes in Europe. Discover the magnificently decorated baroque halls (Princes Hall, library, refectory, colloquium, Chapter Hall), the uncovered medieval cloister and the Fssen Dance of Death, the oldest Dance of Death cycle still preserved in Bavaria. Opening hours: April to October Tuesdays to Sundays: 10 am to 5 pm (closed on Mondays) November to March Tuesdays to Sundays: 1 pm to 4 pm (closed on Mondays) The State Gallery in the Hohes Schloss (High Castle) (A branch of the Bavarian State Collections of Paintings in the High Castle), Magnusplatz 10. The medieval complex of the Hohes Schloss, high above the town, was formerly used as a summer residence by the princebishops of Augsburg. Today, a branch gallery of the Bavarian State collections houses late gothic panel paintings and sculptures from the Swabian-Bavarian and Allgaeu region. The great Knights Hall displays a splendid carved wooden ceiling. Opening hours: April to October Tuesdays to Sundays: 11 am to 4 pm (closed on Mondays) November to March Tuesdays to Sundays: 2 pm to 4 pm (closed on Mondays) Model Railway Museum ZeitscHieneN (Modelleisenbahnmuseum ZeitscHieneN), Kemptener Strae 7 Discover the highlights of one of the most important private model railway collections in Germany. Opening hours: Monday to Fridays: 10 am to 6 pm Saturdays: 10 am to 2 pm (closed on Sundays) Festspielhaus Neuschwanstein Im See 1 The elegant building of this theatre with a seating capacity for 1400 people is situated on the banks of lake Forggensee near Fssen and provides a wonderful panoramic view of the royal castles of Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau at the foot of the Ammergau Alps. Enjoy a visit to the 150-metre-long arcade-like foyers and to the extensive parks around the theatre building. The opening night of the new musical production about the famous Bavarian fairy-tale king Ludwig II will take place in March 2005.

with life (the beginning of iron mining). On a 6th September in 750 or 772 he died in Fssen. Later, after many alterations and additions, from his cell and a Mary Church the present-day St Mang Monastery developed with its church (1701 1717), built by the Allgu architect Johann Jakob Herkomer in the Italian baroque style. Under the high altar there is a Romanesque crypt (9th century) containing remains of a fresco painting from the 10th century, the oldest in Bavaria. In the baldachin of the crypt ceiling was the altar tomb of St Magnus. The neighbouring St Anna Chapel houses one of the few still preserved Dances of Death in Germany (painted in 1602). The monastery was secularised in 1802 and has served as Fssen's Town Hall since 1909. During the 12th century the Guelphs had administrative rights over the monastery and town; they were taken over by the Hohenstaufen in 1191; after they had died out the Duke of Bavaria tried to gain influence in Fssen by building a castle on the present-day Schlossberg in 1298. But the bishops of Augsburg, who had possessed rights in Fssen since ancient times, succeeded in obtaining the Bavarian rights to the Lechrain. Fssen must have been chartered in the last quarter of the 13th century, though the exact date is not known. Fssen governed itself according to its own municipal laws, was a Town of the Empire, but never a Free Imperial Town. In 1995 Fssen celebrated its 700th town anniversary with numerous events. Fssen comes under the Augsburg bishops (1313 1803): Emperor Heinrich VII, being short of money, mortgaged the town for 400 silver marks during an Italy campaign in 1313 to the Bishop of Augsburg. The emperor died, the mortgage was never paid back. From this time on Fssen remained under the rule of the prince bishops of Augsburg until Secularisation in 1802, when it came under Bavaria. The bishops' influence can still be seen in the town's appearance: 1496 1505 Bishop Friedrich von Zollern made alterations to the Hohes Schloss and expanded it, resulting in its present form. He had a second ring of town walls built, which is still well preserved in the east (hospital, Bleicher Gateway). In 1628 Bishop Heinrich von Knringen founded a Franciscan monastery. The present church building, however, goes back to 1763. Periods of war: Fssen experienced almost all the major wars of modern times at first hand, with the exception of the world wars: the disturbances of the Peasants' Revolt in 1525, the Schmalkaldic War (1546), when Schertlin von Burtenbach conquered the town, the Thirty Years' War, in which the Swedes and their allies sacked the town several times, the Spanish War of Succession (1740 1745) with the Peace of Fssen concluded in 1745 in the post inn at that time "Zum Goldenen Lwen" (Golden Lion), the Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars (18th and 19th centuries, see the Soldiers' Grave at the Blutanger). Economic and political upswing: Fssen's fate had been determined from earliest times by its situation on the old longdistance road Via Claudia; this applied not only to the many expeditions but also to the town's economic rise and decline. Goods from the south and the north were stored in Fssen,

forwarded by Fssen companies or reloaded onto rafts, in short, it was the Italian trade that contributed in particular to the town's heyday in the 15th century. In addition there was a hard-working class of craftsmen, which especially in the 15th/16th centuries attained international importance in making lutes and violins. Fssen is regarded as the cradle of the commercial manufacture of lutes and violins. The town experienced its golden age during the reign of Emperor Maximilian I (1492 1519). This ruler visited Fssen almost 40 times and gave the town its splendour and significance. Fssen in the 19th and 20th century: As a result of wars in the 16th 18th centuries Fssen lost its importance and economic vigour in the course of time. Not until the second half of the 19th century did economic improvement take place with the founding of the mechanical rope-making factory (in 1861, today the Fssener Textil AG). With the building of the royal castles of Hohenschwangau and above all Neuschwanstein (built 1869 1886) and the growth of Alpine activities in the second half of the 19th century, tourism began to develop in the Knigswinkel. Whereas before 1930 it was chiefly the wellto-do citizens who went to Fssen for their summer holidays and to other towns on the edge of the Alps, in the thirties Fssen became a destination for larger numbers of holidaymakers in connection with the "Kraft durch Freude programmes, a popular holiday scheme for the masses. Today Fssen, both as a holiday resort and health spa, attracts about 1.1 million visitors a year from all over the world. The town also became internationally well known as an ice hockey stronghold: the Fssen Ice Hockey Club was the German champions 16 times and the town is today the location of a National Ice Hockey Centre. The centre's arena, completed at the beginning of the nineties, is considered to be one of Germany's finest ice stadiums and has already been the venue of the Junior World Ice Hockey Championship on two occasions. Here the Fssen curling teams are also at home, which have won the German and European Championships several times.

From Fssen's Past

The area around Fssen was geologically formed by the various Ice Ages, especially by the force of the Lech glacier. Numerous moraine hills and most of the lakes in the foothills of the Alps are today visible testimonies to those times. The countryside around Fssen is ancient cultivated land: finds from the end of the Palaeolithic Age and considerable material from the Mesolithic Age (Feuerbichl, Horn, near to the Allguer berlandwerk) indicate at least the temporary presence of man. In historical times the district was settled by a Celtic tribe and from 15 BC was romanised through the campaigns of Augustus's stepsons Tiberius and Drusus. The country belonged for administrative purposes to the Roman province of Rhaetia, which was divided up under Emperor Diocletian (284 305 AD) into Rhaetia I (provincial capital Chur) and Rhaetia II (provincial capital Augsburg). To tie the new territory more closely to the Roman Empire Emperor Claudius (41 - 54 AD) had a military road built, the Via Claudia Augusta, which began at Altinum (near present-day Venice) and the Po and ran to the Danube via Fssen and Augsburg. Towards the end of the 3rd century a Roman camp was built on what is today the Schlossberg (palace hill) to safeguard supplies against the invasions of the Allemanic tribes which set in at the beginning of the century. In the centuries that followed the territory was settled by the Allemans, first coming under the rule of the Ostrogoths and later under Frankish sovereignty. There have been and still are a number of interpretations of the name Fssen. It first appeared in written form on a Roman gravestone from the 4th century (fotensium), after that in a Roman register of all state and court offices written at the beginning of the 5th century and here refers to the Roman
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supply camp "foetibus" (ablative) on the present-day palace hill. Whether the word comes from pre-Roman times and was Latinised by the Romans or, as later interpretations suggest, is "original" Latin and means a "place at the gorge" (= the Lech gap at the rocks called Lusaltenfelsen) will have to await further clarification. Be that as it may, on both occasions the Roman terms occur in connection with the military: on the one hand, they refer to a "praepositus Fotensium" (= commander of the Fssen troops), and on the other, to a military camp "Foetibus" (Foetes). The monks of St Mang called the site of their monastery "ad fauces" (= at the gorge), and in 1175 the German name Fozen emerged. Fssen's coat of arms is made up of three feet. In this way it is a so-called "speaking" coat of arms. One could imagine that it probably came into being in the following way: the original meaning of the town's name was unknown; in the form at the time when it was elevated to the status of a town it was called Fuezzen, which was thought to come from the word for feet (Fsse). After that the coat of arms was created with the three feet, which occurs for the first time in the town seal of 1317. The name is therefore considerably older than the coat of arms. Whether the three feet recalled the meeting point of three spheres of control in the area of Fssen (the Augsburg prince bishops' territory or the Duchy of Swabia, Tiro County and the Duchy of Bavaria) remains an open question. At any rate, the three-feet sign is an old coat of arms symbol. With the appearance of Saint Magnus the town's history focuses on a new area. Born around 700, probably of Rhaeto-Romanic extraction, he left St Gallen Monastery and worked in our district for 26 years, not so much as a missionary, but rather as a teacher of the common people (see page 7) to help them cope

First impressions

A conducted tour through Fssen's medieval town centre

The Fssen Heritage Museum

The Fssen Heritage Museum is situated in the south-west wing of the former Benedictine Monastery of St Mang, which was built under the architect Johann Jakob Herkomer from early 18th century Venetian examples and, together with the Hohes Schloss, constitutes one of the main features of Fssen's townscape. The former cells of the Benedictine monks house valuable works of art and archaeological finds from the over 1000-year history of this former abbey, which was not only the spiritual centre but also the focal point of government and culture in the Fssen area. The medieval cloister that was uncovered below the baroque corridors also provides an insight into the medieval epoch of the history of the Monastery of St Mang. One of the finest collections in Europe of historical lutes and violins recalls Fssen's importance as the cradle of the commercial manufacture of lutes in Europe. Here in the town on the River Lech the first European lute-makers' guild was founded in the 16th century, and up into the 19th century the town produced renowned violin-makers. In addition to the lutes and violins from the 17th to 19th centuries, the Munich master violin-maker Karl Leonhardt donated the equipment of his workshop which documents the various stages in the production process of a violin. One of the museums highlights is the monasterys magnificently decorated baroque halls: the Princes Hall, created under the architect Andrea Maini; the library (see picture above) and the refectory beneath it with sculptures by Anton Sturm; the domed Colloquium with frescoes by the Kempten court painter Franz Georg Hermann; the Chapter Hall with the only extant oil paintings by Paul Zeiller, which depict the Benedictine daily saints. In the Anna Chapel, converted into baroque style under Herkomer, the Fssen Dance of Death by Jakob Hiebeler (1602) can be viewed, the oldest Dance of Death cycle still preserved in Bavaria. A further section of the museum houses an historical millers room with richly ornamented wooden panelling and an exhibition on the towns history entitled "Emerging into Mondernity.

Fssen is not only a popular spa and holiday resort set in the lovely foothills of the Alps, but also a town with deep roots and a past that goes back more than two thousand years. Learn about Fssen's varied history on a walk through the historical town centre. It lies at the foot of the palace called Hohes Schloss with the late medieval houses of prosperous citizens charmingly situated side by side with baroque churches. This walk through the town begins at the old Sebastian's Cemetery 10 , where the grave of the Bavarian court painter Domenico Quaglio can be found and which offers you the best view of the last longer section of the old town walls that still exists. From the lookout point at the Franciscan monastery 9 with St Stephan's Church the walk continues along the River Lech to the Fssen Holy Ghost Hospital with the impressive, richly decorated faade of its church 8 . After taking in the baroque courtyard of the former Benedictine monastery of St Mang 4 on the way, you continue past the Lute-Makers Fountain 6 to the former monastery and present-day Parish Church of St Mang, the largest and most magnificent of Fssen's baroque churches. The last stop is the interior courtyard of the Hohes Schloss 3 , which for centuries was the official residence of the prince bishops of Augsburg here in Fssen and is considered to be one of the best preserved late gothic castle complexes in Germany. Duration: 1.5 to 2 hours (it can be shortened if so desired). If requested, the town walk may also include a conducted tour of the Fssen Heritage Museum. There the Fssen Dance of Death is on view in the Anna Chapel. This is only possible during the opening hours of the museum (see pages 9 and 10). The total price for the town guide in this case increases by 10.00 plus 16% VAT in each case for each extra hour or part of an hour. In addition 2.00 per person for admission to the museum has to be taken into consideration.

10 9

6 8

Opening hours:
April to October: Tuesday to Sunday: (closed on Monday) November to March Tuesday to Sunday: (closed on Monday) 10 am to 17 pm

13 pm to 16 pm

The price per guide is:

English, French, Italian, Spanish and Russian: For groups of up to 29 persons: For groups of 30 or more persons: 16% VAT has to be added to these prices 50.00 60.00

Entrance fee per person:

Adults: Groups (from 6 persons): Combined ticket (Heritage Museum & State Gallery): 2.50 2.00 3.00

Guided tour through the Fssen Heritage Museum

Duration: 1 to 1.5 hours (The tour can also be combined with a sightseeing tour through Fssens medieval town centre.)

Booking and information

Fssen Tourismus
Telephone: ++49 (0) 83 62 93 85-12,-17 a.hiltensperger@info.fuessen.de k.glowalla@info.fuessen.de

The price per guide is:

English, French, Italian, Spanish and Russian: For the guide: The entrance fee has to be added 25.00

Booking and information

Fssen Tourismus
Telephone: ++49 (0) 83 62 93 85-12,-17 a.hiltensperger@info.fuessen.de k.glowalla@info.fuessen.de

16% VAT has to be added to the price for the guide (price for the guide for a combined tour through the town centre and the museum: see preceding page)

The State Gallery in the Hohes Schloss

In the medieval complex of the Hohes Schloss (High Castle), high above the town, a branch gallery of the Bavarian State Collections of Paintings was set up in 1931 and reopened in 1977 on the basis of a new concept. The great Knight's Hall (Rittersaal) with its splendid carved wooden ceiling from the late 15th century is the setting for a collection of late gothic panel paintings and sculptures from the Swabian-Bavarian and Allgu region. A large part of the holdings come from Prince von Oettingen-Wallerstein's collection, which he once sold to the Bavarian king, Ludwig I It contains rich treasures from the Monastery of St Mang, which was dissolved in the early 19th century. Some of the most important pictures are the life-size Salvator Mundi by an Augsburg master from about 1494, the Sippen Altar by an unknown Allgu master around 1520, the panels created in 1510 showing the plague and war and the eight scenes from the legend of the holy imperial couple Heinrich and Kunigunde. The Bavarian National Museum has added sculptures from the same epoch and landscape to the collection. Special exhibitions have been added to this collection: Munich Painters in the 19th Century and the Pocci Collection.

TREFF HOTEL LUITPOLDPARK 5555

Luitpoldstrae 87629 Fssen Tel.: 0 83 62 90 40 Fax: 0 83 62 90 46 78 fuessen@treff-hotels.de www.luitpoldpark-hotel.de

Impressive:

Guided tour through the baroque St Mang Basilica

Around 850 a monastery was founded at the grave of St Magnus in Fssen with the help of the bishop of Augsburg. The design and execution of the baroque church and monastery complex of St Mang at the beginning of the 18th century are the work of the architect, painter and stucco worker Johann Jakob Herkomer from Sameister near Rosshaupten. He is regarded as the founder of the so-called Lech Valley Building School. In the interior of the Church of St Mang, too, the visitor is surrounded by the spirit of the baroque period. The uniform effect of the space is beautifully designed, its architecture strong and clear, festive as a result of its brightness and height. Well-known artists contributed to the design such as Dominikus Zimmermann, who later built the Wies Church, and the sculptor Anton Sturm, a resident of Fssen. Below the presbytery is the crypt with the oldest fresco still preserved in Bavaria (about 980, Reichenau School).

You will find the TREFF HOTEL LUITPOLDPARK right in the centre of town, beside the Town Park. The 131 hotel rooms will satisfy even the most discerning guest. All rooms are equipped with marble bathrooms, WC, makeup mirror, hair dryer, direct-dial telephone, satellite TV, radio, minibar and safe. Local and international specialities are served in our comfortable restaurants "Kurfrst von Bayern", "Maria Theresia" with the "Lautenmacher Bar", in the "Wiener Caf" with its piano bar and adjacent atrium terrace or in the Mexican restaurant "El Bandito". Pamper yourself in our 500square metre sauna and fitness landscape with whirlpool, sauna, solarium, high-tech fitness equipment and massage department. In the Fit & Fun Park you will find saunas, steam cabin, whirlpool and an outdoor garden. Fitness and Athletic Centre with a Sport Bar and modern cardio-equipment are at your disposal. Underground parking for 300 cars at your disposal.

Opening hours:
April to October Tuesday to Sunday: 11 am - 16 pm, closed on Mondays November to March Tuesday to Sunday: 14 pm - 16 pm, closed on Mondays

Entrance fee per person:

Adults: Groups (from 6 persons): Combined ticket (Heritage Museum & State Gallery): 2.50 2.00 3.00

Guided Tour through the State Gallery

Duration: 1 to 1.5 hours (The tour can also be combined with a sightseeing tour trough Fssens medieval town centre.)

Guided tours can be arranged for groups through the basilika and crypt which last about 45-60 minutes. Price by arrangement.

The price per guide is:

English, French, Italian, Spanish and Russian: For the guide: The entrance fee has to be added 25.00
123 rooms and 8 suites Price in euros per person and night valid from 4th January 2005 to 23rd December 2005 Rooms with bath/shower and WC Half board from 59,
u send yo Ask us to prospectus se our hou current rates with the rammes. g and pro

16% VAT has to be added to the price for the guide (price for the guide for a combined tour through the town centre and the museum: see page 8)

Booking and information

Fssen Tourismus
Telephone: ++49 (0) 83 62 93 85-12,-17 a.hiltensperger@info.fuessen.de k.glowalla@info.fuessen.de

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11

The Kings Palaces

A tour service

to the Castles of Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau

Neuschwanstein Castle
The foundation stone was laid by King Ludwig II of Bavaria on 5th September 1869. The building was intended as a medieval knight's castle in the 12th/13th-century style. The outer faade of the gateway was completed in 1873. The main building and the adjoining buildings were faced with Schwangau marble from the quarry at Schwansee (Swan Lake). It was modelled largely on the Wartburg in Thuringia. The castle was to consist of five buildings: the gatehouse, the Knight's Building, the Bower (women's apartments), the King's Building (the main residential tract) and the keep. The original construction work lasted 17 years and had to be discontinued because of Ludwig's early death. By then, of the rooms in the main residential tract only the ground floor (kitchen and adjacent rooms), the third storey (the king's apartments and the Throne Room) and the fourth floor (Singers' Hall) had been completed. The rooms are richly decorated with works of the arts and crafts, there are portrayals from the Tannhuser saga, from Lohengrin, Tristan and Isolde, the Nibelungenlied, Parzival and from the life of Walter von der Vogelweide, a medieval German lyric poet. The first concert in the Singers' Hall was held in 1933 to mark the 50th anniversary of Richard Wagner's death. Since 1969 the Neuschwanstein Castle Concerts have taken place every year in September. For further information see page 15.

Hohenschwangau Castle
The ancient Schwangau castle of "Schwanstein", which was already dilapidated and uninhabitable when the Schwangau aristocracy died out, was purchased in 1535 by the patrician and Imperial Counsellor Johann von Paumgartner zu Paumgarten and completely rebuilt from 1538 to 1547. He gave it the new name "Hohenschwangau". Almost 300 years later the Paumgarten building was again in ruins. In 1829 the Bavarian Crown Prince Max, the son of Ludwig I, came to the district of Fssen on the occasion of a "history excursion" with his teacher and acquired this crumbling building. He had it rebuilt according to ancient extant plans by the architect and theatre painter Domenico Quaglio, who, although he originally came from the area of Lake Como, had long since settled in Munich. The whole complex lives in the spirit of the romantic era. Such names as the Swan Knight's Hall, Guelph Room and Hohenstaufen Room are indications of a living attachment to sagas and history. The Castle Courtyard, whose finest ornamentation is the Mary Fountain, is immediately adjacent to the Castle Garden, which is enclosed by a castellated outer wall. In the centre of a circular flowerbed is a pool with a water-spouting swan. For further information see page 15.

Linderhof Palace
In addition to Schwangau, familiar to Ludwig from his childhood experiences, it was particularly Graswang Valley that he had come to know as Crown Prince from his many excursions from Hohenschwangau. His father, King Maximilian II, owned a hunting lodge there in "Linderhof". In the palace, completed in 1878, the only one that Ludwig II finished and lived in, the spirit of the rococo was revived. Behind the richly ornamented faade of the relatively small palace exuberance runs riot: glistening mirrors and glittering gold, wall hangings and paintings, velvet, plush and crystal chandeliers, lapis lazuli, malachite and porcelain. The major sights of the artistically laid out landscape garden include the "King's Little House", the old King's Lime Tree, on whose raised hide the king sometimes took his breakfast, the Moorish Kiosk with the Peacock Throne, the Moroccan House and the Hunting Lodge. An 'open-sesame rock' leads to an artificial grotto with a waterfall and lake. The grotto was heated and illuminated by electricity. Waves could be produced on the lake. State-of-the-art technology to make royal dreams come true! Information: Tel. 0 88 22 - 92 03-0.

Fssen is an ideal starting point for visiting the world-famous royal castles of Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau, only four kilometres away. Both of these castles can only be viewed as part of regular tours conducted throughout the day and offered in German, English and other foreign languages. The admission tickets should be purchased or booked in advance through the Ticket Centre in the village of Hohenschwangau (see page 15). Fssen Tourismus supplements the castle tours with a tour service for groups. Although our guide is not allowed to conduct tours inside the castles, (s)he can be of help in fetching the admission tickets, accompanying the group to Neuschwanstein and/or Hohenschwangau Castle and to the viewing points "Jugend" and "Marienbrcke" and providing additional background information on the castles, the Bavarian royal family and their fondness for the Knigswinkel, or King's Nook. If requested, a detour to Ludwig II's favourite spot on the Alp Lake, the so-called "Pindarplatz", is possible.

The price per guide:

English, French, Italian, Spanish and Russian: Per hour 25.00 (including waiting times during the castle tours) 16% VAT has to be added to these prices

Booking and information

Fssen Tourismus
Telephone: ++49 (0) 83 62 93 85-12,-17 a.hiltensperger@info.fuessen.de k.glowalla@info.fuessen.de 12 13

King Ludwig II a brief biography

Viewing the castles of

Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau

Tickets for both castles are only obtainable from the Ticket Center Alpseestrae 12 87645 Hohenschwangau For groups advanced ticket reservation is absolutely recommended. The advance booking of guided tours at fixed times is possible. Ticket Center Telephone 0 83 62-93 08 30 Telefax 0 83 62-9 30 83 20 info@ticket-center-hohenschwangau.de Tickets can also be booked online: www.ticket-center-hohenschwangau.de

The people living between Suling and Auerberg and between Nesselwang and Trauchgau certainly have a special relation with their king. Even though they have long been influenced by a republican system of government, even though most of them carry out the duty of upright citizens by taking part in democratic elections, their loyalty and love for this king is perhaps unique throughout the world. Deep down in their hearts many of them have remained monarchists, but this allegiance to the monarch is focused on a special person. And that is the king who grew up in their Fssen countryside, who spent most of the years of his life here and who built the most regal of his castles here: Neuschwanstein. He is and will always remain their king. He has long been immortal. He was born in Nymphenburg Palace in Munich on 25th August 1845. The Crown Prince by no means enjoyed a carefree childhood. He and his brother Otto, two years younger, were supposed to become accustomed to the burden of royal duties at an early age. They were not allowed to associate with other children, and any contact with their parents was reduced to a minimum. The princes' teachers were convinced that keeping their parents at a distance would promote their independence. The royal brothers spent much of their childhood away from the capital of Munich at Hohenschwangau Castle. Separated from their parents, brought up by down-to-earth civil servants who kept to the rules and who were mainly intent on making the Crown Princes familiar with the realities of the world, Ludwig lived here, however, in an environment remote from the great affairs of state. A fantastic natural landscape and a castle-like palace, filled with romantic murals depicting German fairy tales, sagas and the omnipresent swan images, were a formative influence on Ludwig, who was of an imaginative and sentimental disposition. Secretly the youthful Prince began to occupy himself at night with what interested him most: theatre, opera librettos and literature. On 2nd February 1861, the 15-year-old Prince was deeply moved by his first performance of an opera. Wagner's Lohengrin was to become for him a key experience. From now on he became one of Richard Wagner's most ardent admirers and his greatest patron. Still very young 18 years old the Crown Prince ascended the Bavarian throne on 10th March 1864, after his father, King Maximilian II, had died unexpectedly only 53 years old. He could be sure of the support of his subjects: Ludwig, young and
14

attractive, was regarded as the most handsome king and the most popular one with the women of the day. A very close and personal relationship grew up between the King and his cousin, Empress Elisabeth of Austria, called Sissi. They had much in common and were kindred spirits: Ludwig and Sissi liked to behave unconventionally, loved solitude, hated the constraints of the court, were both keen on education and very well read, especially as far as classical literature was concerned. Both were opposed to war and violence, had a very self-assured attitude towards the church and sought sincere friendship with those in whom they could find disinterested support. Neither of them was spared disappointments. In the years that followed, the King, often described by his ministers as being out of touch with reality, withdrew more and more into the fantastic dream-worlds of his palaces in the wild solitude of the mountains. In only two decades on the throne, new and ever bolder plans emerged. Some for example, Falkenstein Palace never materialised. Others were turned into reality and are admired to this day by visitors from all over the world: the rococo Linderhof Palace, built in the French style, Herrenchiemsee Palace inspired by Versailles and, as a climax, the famous fairy-tale castle Neuschwanstein, modelled on the medieval Wartburg. Loved by his people, but hated by his ministers, Ludwig II was declared insane in 1886 and deposed. Neuschwanstein would also be his last place of residence before he was taken to Berg Palace on the banks of Lake Starnberg. On 13th June 1886 he mysteriously died in the lake. To this day the circumstances surrounding his death give rise to diverse speculations. Was it an accident while Ludwig was trying to escape, was it suicide or even murder by his political opponents? The records of the secret house archives that could perhaps shed light on the mystery are still closed. Ludwig II experienced Neuschwanstein as a building site enclosed in scaffolding. He never saw it as it presents itself to the eye of the present-day visitor. The construction work was not completed until after his death. The legend of the fairy-tale king lives on, for Bavaria and guests from all parts of the world.

Sale of tickets for Neuschwanstein

1st October to 31st March 1st April to 30th September 9 am to 3 pm * 8 am to 5 pm *

* Throughout the year from Monday to Sunday

Reservation charges
Per person for the reservation of less than 15 tickets Hohenschwangau or Neuschwanstein 1.60 King's Ticket 3.20 Groups of 15 persons or more: per person Hohenschwangau or Neuschwanstein: King's Ticket The time it takes to walk from the Ticket Center to Neuschwanstein: about 40 minutes to Hohenschwangau: about 20 minutes 0.80 1.60

Neuschwanstein opening hours

1st October to 31st March 1st April to 30th September 10 am to 4 pm 9 am to 6 pm

Closed on 1st January; 24th, 25th and 31st December

Sale of tickets for Hohenschwangau

1st October to 31st March 1st April to 30th September 9 am to 3.30 pm * 8 am to 5.30 pm *

* Throughout the year from Monday to Sunday

Hohenschwangau opening hours

1st October to 31st March 1st April to 30th September Closed on 24th December 10 am to 4 pm 9 am to 6 pm

The approach road to Neuschwanstein Castle is closed to general motor traffic. In the village of Hohenschwangau horse-drawn carriages are available at Hotel Mller which take you to the castle inn located 300 metres/yards below Neuschwanstein Castle. Fare uphill Fare downhill 5.00 2.50

Prices of admission per person

Scale of charges I Scale of charges II Neuschwanstein: Hohenschwangau: King's Ticket (valid for both castles) Scale I Scale II 9.00 9.00 17.00 8.00 8.00 15.00

Information: Josef Mller, Colomanstrae 22, 87645 Hohenschwangau, Tel. 0 83 62 - 8 11 22, Fax 8 11 23 Buses ply between Hotel Lisl and the "Jugend" lookout point. From there it is a steep downhill walk of about 10 minutes (400 metres/yards) to Neuschwanstein Castle (not suitable for anyone who has difficulty walking and elderly people). Fare uphill Fare downhill Combined ticket 1.80 1.00 2.60

Adults Groups of at least 15 people, senior citizens of 65 or over, conscripts in the armed forces and those doing alternative service, school children, disabled persons and their necessary escort (pass must be shown). Free admission Children and young people under 18 years of age accompanied by adults (does not apply to school classes at Hohenschwangau), tour guides and tour operators' drivers.

From the "Jugend" lookout point it is a 2-minute walk to the Marien Bridge situated 90 metres (295 feet) above the Pllat Gorge with a fine view of the castle and the 45 metre (147 foot) high waterfall. A conducted tour through Neuschwanstein Castle or Hohenschwangau Castle lasts about 35 minutes. During the tour in Neuschwanstein Castle there are 170 steps both up and down. Taking photographs during the castle tour is strictly prohibited.
Prices as of August 2004. Subject to change.

15

Journeys of discovery:

Guided tours

Sightseeing trips through the Knigswinkel

Discover one of Bavaria's most beautiful holiday regions. Seeing the idyllic landscape of the Knigswinkel (Kings Nook) between Alpine mountains, gently rounded hilltops created by moraines and the more than 15 lakes in the surroundings of Fssen is a great experience in any season of the year. No wonder that the Bavarian kings came here for their summer holidays back in the 19th century. Fssen Tourismus provides expert guides for the following excursions through the Kings Nook:

Allgu Round Trip

Our tour guides, competent and with good background knowledge, accompany you on your journeys of discovery through the green foothills of the Allgu Alps. We offer different variants for this round trip in your group's own coach:

Long tour
Route as described for the short tour, but additionally the tour goes from Hopfen am See past the Festspielhaus Neuschwanstein and then around Lake Forggensee via Rosshaupten and Buching. A short photo break at St Coloman Church (magnificent view of the royal castles and Mount Tegel (Tegelberg) and back to Fssen via Hohenschwangau.

Price per Guide:

English, French, Italian, Spanish and Russian: 70.00 16% VAT has to be added to these prices

Tour B:
Oberstdorf Kleinwalsertal Visit to an Alpine dairy

Tour A:
Breitachklamm Oberstdorf Visit to an Alpine dairy
Fssen Pfronten Tannheim Valley Oberjoch (road over the Joch Pass) Bad Hindelang Sonthofen Breitachklamm (walk through the gorge accompanied by our guide) Oberstdorf (walk through the town with our guide, followed by lunch) Rettenberg am Grnten Wertach (visit to a mountain farmers' dairy, with cheese tasting if desired) Nesselwang Pfronten Zell Eisenberg Hopferau Hopfen am See Fssen. Additional costs: Admission to Breitachklamm: 2.50 per person. Guided tour through the dairy with cheese tasting: 5.00 per person. Without cheese tasting: all-inclusive charge for the whole group: 25.00.

Fssen Pfronten Tannheim Valley Oberjoch (Joch mountain pass) Bad Hindelang Sonthofen Oberstdorf (a walk through the town with our guide) Kleinwalsertal (midday break in Mittelberg or Riezlern) Rettenberg am Grnten Wertach (a visit to a mountain farmers' dairy, if desired with cheese tasting) Nesselwang Pfronten Zell Eisenberg Hopferau Hopfen am See Fssen. Additional costs: Guided tour through the dairy including cheese tasting: 5.00 per person. Without cheese tasting: all-inclusive charge for the whole group: 25.00.

Price per Guide:

English, French, Italian, Spanish and Russian: 160.00 16% VAT has to be added to these prices

Short tour
Fssen, Lake Alatsee in the Faulenbach Valley, lake Weissensee, direction of Pfronten (fine view of the Falkenstein Castle ruin), Eisenberg (past the ruins of Hohenfreyberg and Eisenberg), Hopferau, lake Hopfensee, Wiesbauer, Hopfen am See, lake Forggensee, Fssen. Duration: about 2 hours

Duration: about 3 hours If you dont have a coach at your disposal, we can arrange contacts to local bus companies.

Price per Guide:

English, French, Italian, Spanish and Russian: 160.00 16% VAT has to be added to these prices

Price per Guide:

English, French, Italian, Spanish, and Russian: 50.00

Duration: 8 9 hours

Duration: 8 9 hours 16% VAT has to be added to these prices

Booking and information

Fssen Tourismus
Telephone: ++49 (0) 83 62 93 85-12,-17 a.hiltensperger@info.fuessen.de k.glowalla@info.fuessen.de

Booking and information

Fssen Tourismus
Telephone: 08362-9385-12, -17 a.hiltensperger@info.fuessen.de k.glowalla@info.fuessen.de

Booking and information

Fssen Tourismus
Telephone: 08362-9385-12, -17 a.hiltensperger@info.fuessen.de k.glowalla@info.fuessen.de 17

16

Guided tours

Allgu Round Trip

Tour C:
The Mountain Farmers' Museum at Diepolz
The open-air museum, opened only a few years ago in the Bergsttten area above Immenstadt, takes the visitors on a journey in time: the Allgu, before it was discovered by tourists, was considered to be one of the poorest regions in southern Germany. The world of the mountain farmers in the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century comes alive again in several restored farms, in the large outdoor area and in an Alpine hut moved from the Oberstdorf mountains into the museum. Please note: In winter from October to April, Duration: 8 9 hours and the coach tour is therefore only possible on certain days. Route: Fssen Pfronten Nesselwang Wertach (visit to a mountain farmers' dairy) Rettenberg am Grnten Immenstadt Diepolz (to a tour with our guide through the museum and outdoor area, a 15-minute ascent to the Hfle-Alpe, a meal in the Alpine hut with a magnificent panoramic view of the entire range of the Alps between Ammergau and the Swiss peaks) - Sonthofen Bad Hindelang Joch Pass to Oberjoch Tannheim Valley a visit to the church in Tannheim Grn Pfronten Fssen (or if preferred also Grn Gaicht Pass Reutte Fssen). Additional costs: A guided tour through the mountain farmers' dairy: 25.00 for the whole group. Entrance fee of the Alpine Farmers Museum: for groups of 15 persons or more the reduced admission price of 2.50 per person applies. Lunch at the Hfle Alpe: according to what you eat.

Excursion:

Wies Church - Oberammergau Ettal - Linderhof Palace

Oberammergau: (about 50 km, 30 miles) This holiday resort is well known for its Passion Play, though the paintings on the walls of the houses, so-called "Lftlmalereien", and the artistic woodcarvings are themselves well worth a visit.

Tour D:
Alpine farmers' dairy with cheese tasting
Fssen Hopfen am See below the Eisenberg Castle ruins and along Hohenfreyberg Pfronten Nesselwang Wertach (visit to the Alpine farmers' dairy with cheese tasting or a meal of cheese noodles) Unterjoch Tannheim Valley Grn Pfronten Fssen (if preferred also Grn Gaicht Pass Reutte Fssen). Additional costs: 1) Guided tour through the dairy with cheese tasting: 5.00 per person. 2) Guided tour through the dairy without cheese tasting: 25.00 (charge for the whole group). 3) plus cheese noodles (Kssptzle) tasting: 6.50 per person (on request).

Ettal (about 55 km, 34 miles): It is the idyllic location of this Benedictine monastery, built by Emperor Ludwig the Bavarian in 1330, that first of all appeals to us. After a walk through the wonderful basilica try the beer from the monastery brewery!

160.00 16% VAT has to be added to these prices

70.00 16% VAT has to be added to these prices

in the Knigswinkel

English, French, Italian, Spanish and Russian:

English, French, Italian, Spanish and Russian:

Linderhof Palace (about 45 km, 29 miles): Small is beautiful. This palace built by Ludwig is for many the best of all. Particularly impressive are the Hall of Mirrors, the Palace Park with its Moorish Kiosk, the Peacock Throne and the artificial grotto with a wave-machine where Ludwig II had himself rowed along in his shell-shaped boat.

Duration: 3 4 hours Duration: 8 9 hours

Booking and information

Fssen Tourismus
Telephone: 08362-9385-12, -17 a.hiltensperger@info.fuessen.de k.glowalla@info.fuessen.de 18

Booking and information

Fssen Tourismus
Telephone: 08362-9385-12, -17 a.hiltensperger@info.fuessen.de k.glowalla@info.fuessen.de

Plansee (Austria) (about 20 km, 12 miles): This mountain lake, 76 metres (250 feet) deep, is so beautifully situated that Ludwig II wanted to build a palace here as well.

Price per Guide:

Price per Guide:

Wies Church (about 30 km, 19 miles): This rococo church (1746-1754) is the major work of the brothers Dominikus and Johann Baptist Zimmermann and a UNESCO World Heritage site. And rightly so: seldom have cheerfulness and holiness been combined more beautifully than in this light-flooded interior, which can also be enjoyed during the many concerts held here.

19

Guide Service:

Shopping:

Wies Church Oberammergau Ettal Linderhof Palace

Combine your stay in Fssen with a detour to the places of interest in neighbouring Ammergau. Fssen Tourismus offers groups with their own coach and an expert guide service for a varied roundtrip by coach. The fullday tour begins and ends in Fssen, departing in the early morning and returning in the late afternoon. The tour covers the following: - the Wies Curch, the rococo gem in the Pfaffenwinkel (a brief conducted tour with the courier); - the baroque pilgrimage church of the Ettal Benedictine Monastery (a brief conducted tour with the courier); - Linderhof, one of King Ludwig II's fairy-tale palaces, a refuge picturesquely situated in the unspoilt landscape of the Ammergau Alps. Not only the little palace in rococo style but also the surrounding gardens and park are well worth seeing. (Participation in a regular palace tour is necessary) In Oberammergau there is an opportunity to take a guided stroll through this woodcarvers' village with its long tradition or to visit the Passion Play Theatre (a short tour conducted by the courier). A midday stop in either Oberammergau or Ettal. The route from Linderhof continues along the idyllic lake of Plansee back to Fssen via Reutte in the Tyrol. (For pictures of this tour see page 19) Duration: 8 9 hours

Fair and with flair

The hiking experience

Fssen Tourismus can arrange experienced hiking guides for exciting hikes which are also suitable for groups: - Half-day hikes with a leisurely rest in an original Alpine chalet in the surroundings. - Shorter hikes which include a visit to an Allgu dairy or a local brewery (with beer tasting) - Evening and torchlight hikes, for example, through the idyllic Faulenbach Valley or around the lakes of Weissensee or Hopfensee (with a stop at a pub if desired) - Half- or one-day flower hikes to the most beautiful areas for Alpine flowers in the Ammergau, Tannheim, Lech Valley and Allgu Alps (June to September) - Half-day botanical hikes in the Schorenmoos (marshland) south of Hopfensee (May to October)

Hiking in King Ludwigs tracks

A hike which takes you through the Knigswinkel (Kings Nook), where Ludwig II spent a large part of his childhood and youth. The route takes in the area of the towns of Fssen and Hohenschwangau and touches on all those places that had special significance for the Bavarian royal family: Fssen - Theresienbrcke - Maxsteg am Lechfall Alpenrosenweg (in winter: Knigsstrasse) Pindarplatz at the Alpsee Hohenschwangau Marienbrcke, a bridge above Neuschwanstein Castle (or the ruin of the medieval Frauenstein Castle as a good vantage point for viewing both of the royal castles) return to Fssen via the Swan Lake Park (Schwanseepark) and the Knigsstrasse, or King's Road (or return by regular bus is also possible). Duration: about 3 to 4 hours (the time for stopping for a drink or food or for going into the castles has to be added). This hike can be combined with a visit to Hohenschwangau Castle and Neuschwanstein Castle or with a detour to "Bleckenau", the royal hunting lodge (today a mountain restaurant), turning it into a whole days programme. Because the mountain huts are well booked up throughout the year we recommend you to arrange the dates as early as possible with Fssen Tourismus to avoid disappointment.

Price per Guide:

English, French, Italian, Spanish and Russian: 160.00 16% VAT has to be added to these prices

Hustle and bustle, quiet lanes: Fssen's medieval town centre is an invitation to take a look around the shops. The spectrum of goods ranges from international to regional, and also as far as the food is concerned everything is on offer, from stuffed cabbage leaves to chop suey. This diversity gives Fssen a very special flair. And everyone is so friendly. Whether in the pavement cafs, in the Reichenstrasse, in the lovingly decorated covered market or in the small shop on the corner. Everywhere a smile is thrown in for free. In the shops you can browse without any obligation to buy, and in the restaurants great importance is attached to service. No matter whether you are being pampered at a candle-light dinner, in a traditional inn or on the terrace of one of the lake restaurants. "1, 2 parking hours free!: The town and the local traders' association pay

for three hours of free parking for you as a guest: - on the marked APCOA parking spaces P 3 (Morisse car park) and P 5 (multi-storey car park in the Savings Bank building) - if you purchase goods for at least 15.00 in one of the shops that is a member of the traders' association. These shops can be recognised by a sticker at the entrance door: "1, 2 Parkstunden frei! (1, 2 parking hours free). Please get your parking ticket punched in the shops. TIP: Many festivals, fairs and markets regularly enliven Fssen's medieval town centre. Especially worth seeing: the Fssen Schindaufest (middle of August), the Christmas Market (beginning middle of December) and the Kaiserfest (July / August).

- Half-day hikes to the Allgu's greatest castle ruins, Hohenfreyberg and Eisenberg, with a visit to the Castle Museum in Zell. In some cases the hikes can be combined with an ascent by cable car. The costs of the hiking guides depend on the duration and route of the hike. Please contact Fssen Tourismus as early as possible and also let us advise you on the necessary gear.

The price per hiking guide:

English per hour: 25.00 16% VAT has to be added to this price

Booking and information

Fssen Tourismus
Telephone: 08362-9385-12, -17 a.hiltensperger@info.fuessen.de k.glowalla@info.fuessen.de 20

Booking and information

Fssen Tourismus
Telephone: ++49 (0) 83 62 93 85-12,-17 a.hiltensperger@info.fuessen.de k.glowalla@info.fuessen.de 21

Timetable
Beginning of June to mid-October

Holiday on the water:

Shipping on Lake Forggensee

Lake Forggensee, at the foot of Neuschwanstein Castle, is today one of the finest areas for aquatic sports and leisure-time activities in the foothills of the Bavarian Alps. What nobody can see when the water is at its highest level is that the fifth largest Bavarian lake is a creation from post-war times. Where a meltwater lake once broke through at Rosshaupten after the Ice Age and emptied the Fssen Basin, a huge dam was built from 1950 to 1954, and the free course of the River Lech was again closed off. The damming up of the Lech at this point fulfils two functions: first, the Forggensee serves as a head reservoir for the hydroelectric works located down stream on the River Lech at the steps of the dam. And secondly, the lake is important for regulating flooding, especially in the spring when the Lech carries large quantities of water after the snow begins to melt. Filled with this meltwater, each year the Forggensee reaches its highest level on 15th June. Experience the King's Nook (Knigswinkel) from the water for a change: during the summer season from 1st June to mid-October passenger ships of the Municipal Forggensee Shipping ply across the lake. The further away you move on the lake from the southern banks, the more magnificent the panoramic view of the mountain world of the Ammergau, Lechtal and Tannheim Alps, of the royal castles of Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau and the townscape of Fssen becomes. The MS Allgu and the MS Fssen go on two round trips of different lengths several times a day, starting from the harbour (see timetable on page 23). Both ships offer on-board catering but it is possible to leave the ship, take midday or coffee breaks at every stopping point. You can also combine one stage of a hike or a cycle tour (signposted Forggensee cycle tour round the lake) using the round trip by boat. Special trips for groups: outside the regular scheduled times, after 6 pm, the passenger ships are available for special outings such as works and school excursions, company parties, weddings and family celebrations with catering. For these trips special all-inclusive prices are charged, depending on the duration of the trip. The following capacities are available: in the saloon seating for 110; on deck seating for 110; buffet catering for up to 80 guests. in the upper saloon seating for 120 (can also be booked separately for a scheduled trip); in the lower saloon seating for 130 and on deck for 150; buffet catering for up to 200 guests. 10.00 10.05 10.15 10.20 10.30 10.45 10.55 11.00 11.15 11.30 11.40 11.45 11.55 12.00 Arrival

Long Trip
Regular daily service from 10 am to 5 pm (duration 2 hours)

Short Trip
Daily from 10.30 am to 12.25 pm and from 1.15 to 5.25 pm Duration about 50 minutes from Fssen Ships dock at the Neuschwanstein Festival Theatre, Osterreinen and Waltenhofen, if there are enough passengers (at least 10 adults) from Fssen. Dep. Dep. Dep. Dep. Dep. Dep. Fssen Festival Theatre Osterreinen Waltenhofen Festival Theatre

Departure Departure Departure 12.30 12.35 12.45 12.50 13.00 13.15 13.25 13.30 13.45 14.00 14.10 14.15 14.25 14.30 Arrival 15.00 15.05 15.15 15.20 15.30 15.45 15.55 16.00 16.15 16.30 16.40 16.45 16.55 17.00 Arrival Fssen (Harbour) Festival Theatre Waltenhofen (Schwangau) Brunnen Osterreinen (Rieden) Dietringen Rohaupten (Tiefenthal) Rohaupten (Power Station) Returning to Fssen Dietringen Osterreinen (Rieden) Brunnen Waltenhofen (Schwangau) Festival Theatre Fssen (Harbour)

10.30 11.30 13.15 14.20 15.30 16.30 10.35 11.35 13.20 14.25 15.35 16.35 10.50 11.50 13.35 14.40 15.50 16.50 11.10 12.10 13.55 15.00 16.10 17.10 ----- 12.20 14.05 --------- 17.20

11.20 12.25 14.10 15.10 16.20 17.25 Fssen Arrival Arrival Arrival Arrival Arrival Arrival

Cancellation of a trip During fog or heavy storms trips may be cancelled.

Rohaupten (power station) MS "Allgu: Rohaupten

(Tiefental)
Buching, Lechbruck (coaches can stop here)

Long trip
Adults Children (4 14) Groups (at least 20 passengers) 8.00 4.00 7.00

Fares
per person including VAT

Short trip
Adults Children (4 14) Groups (at least 20 passengers) 5.50 3.00 4.50

MS "Fssen:

Dietringen

Tickets can be purchased on board ship

FORGGENSEE Osterreinen
(Rieden) Caf Maria

Please book your group well in advance with the Forggenseeschifffahrt (Forggensee Shipping Company), even if you are planning a trip during the regular scheduled times. We should be pleased to advise you.

Group trips: For groups of 20 passengers or more the above-mentioned price reductions apply if one person pays for the whole group.

Prices as of August 2004. Subject to change.

Hotel Kurcafe

5555

Festival Theatre Neuschwanstein

Brunnen Waltenhofen
Schwangau, Hohenschwangau

Booking and information

Stdtische Forggenseeschifffahrt
Telephone: ++49 (0) 83 62-92 13 63 or 90 31 31 Fax 0 83 62-92 13 64 Mobile 01 77-7 92 13 63 or 01 78-2 47 88 62 schifffahrt@fuessen.de

Prinzregentenplatz D-87629 Fssen Tel. +49-(0 ) 83 62-93 01 80 Fax +49-(0 ) 83 62-9 3018 50 info@kurcafe.com www.kurcafe.com
Comfort at Hotel Kurcafe: Parking for buses at the hotel, lift, live music, special menues for groups. A piece of paradise which is honoured with 4 **** welcomes you at the romantic old town of Fuessen. A world of fine elegance with every amenity of a four star hotel. The fine style of the doubles (also twins), triples and four bed rooms as well as

Fssen
Weidach (harbour) (P 7) Free parking for coaches

_______ Regular daily service (Long Trip) _ _ _ _ _ Short Trip

the suites shows comfort at its best. Your room has minibar, radio, TV, direct telephone, internet access, heated floor... A dream! Emotion near the musical hall: Starting the day with champagne breakfast buffet going on with lunch in the Mediterranean Wintergarden with fireplace having gorgeous cakes from the pastry shop enjoy the dinner with live music in the restaurant where you are near to the Bavarian sky. Inspiration at your Kurcafe: Sweet dreams become reality at the pastry shop of the Kurcafe. The Schoell Family has produced truffles, gateaus, cakes, chocolates since generations. Come, see and stay where you are very near to the Bavarian Heaven!

22

23

Beautiful views

Tegelberg Cable Car

Breitenberg Cable Car

Buchenberg Double-Chair Lift

Your mountain experience in a royal landscape: only 10 20 minutes by car from Fssen.

The Tegelberg Cable Car in Schwangau: in this largecabin cable car you soar to an altitude of 5640 feet (1.720 metres) in 8 to 10 minutes and enjoy the breathtaking panoramic view extending far into the foothills of the Alps. The panorama restaurant in the top terminal with its large sunny terrace offers a view to the south of the Ammergau and Lechtal (Lech Valley) peaks. Or you can watch the paragliders and hang gliders jumping off the starting ramp right beside the top terminal. Experienced mountain hikers can combine the ride by cable car with the ascent or descent along the cultural Schutzengel path or the nature path Ahornreitweg (Maple Bridle Path), which the Bavarian royal family used in the 19th century. A detour to the Branderschrofen, the 6160 foot (1.880 metre) high peak of the Tegel Mountain massif, is also possible. At the Tegelberg cable car base terminal the family adventure world awaits you with a summer tobogganing run, dodgems, a trampoline area and a large children's playground. Summer (daily) 8.30 am 5/5.30 pm Winter (daily) 9 am 4.30 pm Reduced group fares (for 15 persons or more): price per person: 14.00 Operating hours:

The Breitenberg Cable Car in Pfronten carries you up into the vast Alpine meadow region of the Pfronten high Alps: just one big sunny terrace at the foot of the distinctive Aggenstein massif. The Breitenberg mountain with its Alpine huts, or hostels, providing fine views, is recommended as a hiking area. From the base terminal of the fourseatcabin cable car at an altitude of 4900 feet (1.500 metres) the Alpine house Allgu and the Hochalphtte (High Alpine Hut) can be reached in a few minutes on foot, and the Bad Kissingen Chalet and the Ostler Hut in about 1.5 hours. By changing into the Hochalp chair lift (not in operation in summer 2004 because of construction work; a new four-seat cable car is opening in the winter season 2004/2005) you can reduce the walking time by one hour in each case. Experienced mountain hikers can reach the 6500 foot (1.987 metre) high Aggenstein peak in 2.5 hours. The Ostler Forest Path into the Enge Valley and the newly built 3.5 mile (6 km) long high Alpine Forest Path down from the top terminal to Pfronten guarantee mountain bikers a fast and enjoyable ride. Operating hours: Summer (daily) 8.30 am 5/5.30 pm Winter (daily) 9 am 4.30 pm Reduced group fares (for 15 persons or more): price per person: 14.00 The Buchenberg Double-Chair Lift starts in Buching and ascends the Buchenbergalpe, at an altitude of 3740 feet (1.140 metres), with its large sun terrace and a 360-degree panoramic view: you feel you can almost touch the Ammergau peaks, and on the other side you can see the lush green Allgu meadows. Hiking paths of between one and 3.5 hours connect the Buchenbergalpe with Buching, the Drehhtte or the Tegelberg. The Buchenbergalpe is also a good place to celebrate chalet parties: it can be reached without exertion by chair lift (special rides in the evening for groups possible on inquiry); drop in for a hearty meal and afterwards hike down with flaming torches to the base terminal via the Alpe Ebene. Operating hours: Summer (daily) 9 am 5.30 pm Winter (daily) 9 am 4.30 pm Reduced group fares (for 15 persons or more): price per person: 7.00

Booking and information

Group bookings for all three cable cars:
Tegelbergbahn GmbH & Co. KG Telephone: ++49 (0) 83 62-98 36-0 Fax 98 36-20 info@tegelbergbahn.de

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Ascending Tegelberg, about 5577 feet (1.700 m), by cable-car

Sports and Activities

gliding over the Alps fishing swimming ballooning mountain hiking archery boating curling hang gliding ice hockey ice skating fitness garden chess paragliding jogging bowling riding in a horse-drawn carriage miniature golf motorboat trips cycling horse back riding shooting sailing squash walking tennis table tennis hiking windsurfing

Tegelberg
Tegelberg is a mountain for everyone. 5640 feet (1.720 m) - see page 24 - above sealevel you can take in the breathtaking view across the Allguer and Tyrolian mountain ranges, the numerous lakes, watch the daring hang- and paragliders and not to be forgotten - enjoy the country which King Ludwig II made his home. Already his father - King Max II- chose the site above the Alpsee for his castle Hohenschwangau and the son - enchanted by the beauty of the mountains - chose the rock above the Pllat river for his castle Neuschwanstein. Already 10,000 years ago our ancestors settled around the lakes at the foot of Tegelberg to hunt and collect the fruits of nature. The Romans were another prominent tribe to build their homes and farms at the Tegelberg site. The Roman bathhouse and the Roman farm right at the entrance to the Tegelberg cable car station bear witness to their prosperity. The richness in culture and tradition is one of the greatest assets in the so-called "Schwanengau". Go for a hike on the nature trail "Ahornreitweg" or the culture trail "Schutzengelweg"! Cycling along a Roman road, aquatic sports on seven different lakes and hiking in the Ammer mountains, one of Germany's largest conservation areas. In Fssen highlights are guaranteed. In winter we have numerous sport activities. Beginners and experts will find their ideal slope for skiing and snowboarding. 4 ski tows and the cable car take you up for a ride on well prepared slopes and the 2.5 miles (4 km) long downhill run from the top of Tegelberg. Do you prefer cross-country-skiing? No problem - there are over 18.5 miles (30 km) of cross-countryroutes from simple to difficult. Also available are guided snow-shoehikes - just ask at the local tourist information or our cashiers.

Hiking opportunities The King's Nook a paradise for hikers

From a simple walk to a climbing tour everything is possible. In Fssen alone there are 125 miles (200 km) of hiking paths offering forays into the attractive countryside. Some routes are: From the centre of Fssen through the Faulenbach Valley to the picturesque lake Alatsee and then on to Saloberalpe (4 miles, 6 km). From the centre of Fssen along the River Lech to lake Forggensee and on to the Neuschwanstein Festival Theatre (1 mile, 2 km). Round lake Hopfensee (also as a power walking route) with a fantastic view of the mountain panorama (4 miles, 6 km). Round lake Weissensee (4 miles, 7 km). From the Lechfell across the Knigsstrasse (King's Road) and along lake Schwansee to the royal castles of Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau (2 miles, 3 km).

Discover the King's Nook (Knigswinkel) from the water. On a round trip on the Forggensee, Bavaria's fourth largest lake, enjoy a breathtaking panoramic view of the royal castles of Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau, the historical Alpine town of Fssen and the surrounding mountain peaks. (Round trips by boat from beginning of June to mid-October)

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HOTELS
Hotel Kurcafe 5555
Prinzregentenplatz D-87629 Fssen Tel. +49 (0 ) 83 62-93 01 80 Fax 9 3018 50 info@kurcafe.com www.kurcafe.com A piece of paradise which is honoured with 4**** is situated at the romantic old town. Guarded parking place for buses Beautifully equipped rooms en suite and different suites Starting the day with champagne breakfast buffet going on with lunch in the Mediterranean Wintergarden having gorgeous cakes from the pastry shop enjoy the dinner with live music in the restaurant where you are near to the Bavarian sky! Ask for special group offer. Perfect place to start shopping and sightseeing and to reach the musical hall. Welcome!

Events that take place at Fssen every year

July to September The concert cycle: "Frstensaalkonzerte" (Prince's Hall Concerts) in the baroque hall of the former Monastery of St Mang: chamber music and jazz evenings with renowned international ensembles King-Ludwig-Marathon Schindaufest on the Schrannenplatz in Fssen's historical town centre Kaiserfest (The Emperors Festival): three-day medieval open-air festival The birthday of King Ludwig II: events at the Festspielhaus Neuschwanstein (theatre), in Fssen and surrounding villages Christmas Market at Fssen (accompanied by a varied supporting programme).

Treff Hotel Luitpoldpark 5555

Luitpoldstrae D-87629 Fssen/Allgu Tel. +49 (0 ) 83 62-90 40 Fax 90 46 78 fuessen@treff-hotels.de www.luitpoldpark-hotel.de

The ****Treff Hotel Luitpoldpark is right beside the Town Park. All 131 luxury rooms and suites, beautifully appointed with WC, marble bathroom, makeup mirror, hair dryer, satellite TV, radio, telephone, safe and minibar. Five conference rooms (15-130 persons / 40-130 square metres) with the latest conference technology are available for conferences and seminars; for celebrations two banquet rooms offer seating for up to 130 guests each.

Mid-July Beginning of August

Vital-Hotel Sommer 5555

Weidachstrae 74 D-87629 Fssen Tel. +49 (0 ) 83 62-914 70 Fax 91 4714 info@hotel-sommer.de www.hotel-sommer.de

Welcome to Hotel Sommer. Magnificently located on lake Forggensee, providing a wonderful view of the royal castles. The natural landscape of the Allgu mountains and good air. A town with a Roman past and a cultural present. Living in Alpine luxury. Breakfast in the winter garden, the pavilion or on the terrace. Gourmet meals and tea time in the lobby. Guests meet in the hotel bar in the evening. Golf courses close by. The new VITAL ISLAND right beside the lake - a superlative wellness temple with a bathing landscape, a seawater outside bathing pool, sauna world, beauty, fitness, mud packs, baths, massages and a private spa suite.

July / August

25. August

Ruchtis 555 Hotel & Restaurant

Alatseestrae 38 D-87629 Fssen Tel. +49-(0 ) 83 62-91010 Fax 7213 info@hotel-ruchti.de www.hotel-ruchti.de
Our hotel has been family owned since 1908, thats tradition in Allgu. A hearty welcome for our guests, sitting together with friends and taking pleasure in one anothers company. The enjoyment of good food and wine. Our guests feel so at home because these traditions have been upheld at Ruchtis for decades. Thats Allgu hospitality. All rooms have a shower/WC, tel., TV and safe. Most rooms have Hotel Alpenblick
Uferstrae 9-10 D-87629 Fssen Tel. +49 (0 ) 83 62-5 05 70 Fax 50 57 73 info@alpenblick.de www.alpenblick.de

balconies and offer a marvellous view of the Allgu Alps, incl. Fssens local mountains, the Suling. After an eventful day what could be more relaxing than our Finnish sauna. Our chef uses fresh produce from local suppliers to prepare delicious meals. A popular choice on the menu are our well renowned Schnitzels. The Alatsee or Mathilde dining rooms provide the appropriate surroundings for cosy dining or special celebrations. Whether mountains or valley, on foot or by bike, Bad Faulenbachs nature reserve, which begins in front of our hotel, is just waiting to be explored. The middle and upper lakes and lake Alatsee invite you to take a swim. Bad Faulenbach is a paradise for walkers. There is such a lot to discover! the Hohes Schloss from Fssen, the Lech waterfall, Fssens romantic old town centre, the St Mang Church, the castles Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau, the castle ruins of FreybergEisenberg and Falkenstein and the Wies Church.

From mid of december

The hotel is situated right beside Lake Hopfen with a magnificent view of the Allgu Alps. Three restaurants, lunch, coffee and cake, snacks and evening meals with seating for 180 people. Package rates for overnight stays of 2 or more nights. Two lake terraces, sauna, lift, coach parking space. Rooms, suites, apartments to satisfy every taste. All rooms have friendly appointments with cable TV, telephone and balcony, sauna, solarium, bathing and massage department at the hotel.

Fssen Promotional material

You can order the following brochures free of charge: Image brochure English / Italian / Japanese / Chinese / French / Spanish / Portugese Sales Guide English / Italian / Japanese / Chinese Town map with short Information English / French / Italian / Japanese Image brochure "Romantic Road English / French / Italian / Japanese

Hotel Hirsch
Kaiser-Maximilian-Platz 7 D-87629 Fssen Tel. +49 (0 ) 83 62-9 39 80 Fax 93 98 77 info@hotelhirsch.de www.hotelhirsch.de

100 years of tradition and hospitality Traditional bavarian hotel, directly in the town centre of Fssen. 53 individually furnished rooms offer modern comfort and the typical way of Bavarian living. With love to detail are the theme rooms (N/S). Their subjects are dedicated to the scenery or the history of Fssen, e.g. King Ludwig, Sisi, River Lech, Mountain Suling In the cosy restaurants, we serve tasty regional specialities, using local products. From the roof terrace you can enjoy the fabulous view overlooking the historic town and the breathtaking mountain view.

City & Musical Hotel Sonne

Prinzregentenplatz 1 D-87629 Fssen Tel. +49 (0 ) 83 62-90 80 Fax 90 8100 info@hotel-sonne.de www.hotel-sonne.de

Centrally situated by the pedestrian zone Easy to reach parking at the hotel Starting point to King Ludwig II's castles Bus transfer to the musical and Neuschwanstein Festival Theatre Via Claudia, the Romantic Road Culture right outside the hotel: the High Castle, St Mang's Monastery, the historical town centre All rooms with bath/WC en suite lift Lavish breakfast/half board Special group rates All tickets to castles & museums

Fssen Tourismus:
Telephone: ++49 (0) 83 62 93 85-0 Fax: ++49 (0) 83 62 93 85-20 tourismus@fuessen.de 28 29

Zugspitze 2964 m Suling 2047 m Hochplatte 2082 m Geiselstein 1884 m

Taneller 2341 m

Lechtaler Alpen Ta n n h e i m e r G r u p p e Schlicke 2060 m Aggenstein 1987 m

Geishorn 2246 m Einstein 1867 m Breitenberg 1838 m

Allguer Alpen

INNSBRUCK GARMISCH P.

Tegelberg 1707 m

Reutte/Tirol

Ta n n

Kenzengebiet

Schloss Neuschwanstein

heim er Ta l

Wertacher Hrnle 1685 m

Grnten 1738 m

Alpsee Lech

Vils/Tirol

Schloss Hohenschwangau
Schwansee

Obersee

Salober
Alatsee
Vils

Bad Faulenbach

Ac

hta

l
l sta Vil Edelsberg 1629 m Alpspitze 1575 m
Jungholz
OBERST DORF

Naturschutzgebiet Ammergebirge

Grenztunnel

Buchenberg 1142 m

ae Str he isc nt ma Ro

SCHWANGAU

FSSEN

Weissensee

Ruine Falkenstein

WEISSENSEE
Feriendorf

Kranzegg

PFRONTEN
Halb lech
Bannwaldsee Forggensee
Water reaches its highest level from beginn-June to mid-October

tal
Hegratsrieder See

Hopfensee

ZELL Ruinen EISENBERGHohenfreyHOPFERAU

u. Eisenberg
Schloweiher Kgelweiher

Wertach

Hoher Trauchberg 1470 m BUCHING HALBLECH

RIEDEN Faulensee AM FORGGENSEE

HOPFEN AM SEE

Grntensee

NESSELWANG
Attlesee

Feriendorf Reichenbach OyMittelberg

Illasbergsee

TRAUCHGAU
e ra St

ROSSHAUPTEN

SEEG
Seeger See

Schwaltenweiher

Rottachspeicher

Wieskirche GARMISCH P. OBERAMMERGAU

e ch tis an m Ro

PREM

Premer Lechsee Schmuttersee Sameistersee

RCKHOLZ

A7
TADT IMMENS EE BODENS

Steingaden

Oberer Lechsee

LECHBRUCK AM SEE
Feriendorf

Steinbach Sulzschneid

LENGENWANG
Walder Weiher

WALD

GRISRIED

Kempten

MNCHEN
ch Le

Auerberg

STTTEN AM AUERBERG

A7
Rieder
Kuhstallweiher Ettwieser-Weiher

Leuterschach

UL

Haslacher See

Rettenbach am Auerberg Thalhofen

Geisenried

Unterthingau Kraftisried
Elbsee

MARKTOBERDORF
Bertoldshofen

AITRANG
Gnzach
Bachtelsee

OBERGNZBURG
G

Key

nz

Lake Forggen Shipping Small gondola lift

Summer toboggan run Chair lift

Camping

Large gondola lift

AU G M SB NC UR HE G N

Festspielhaus Neuschwanstein

Mauerstetten

KAUFBEUREN
Irsee

WAAL

Ronsberg

30

OTTOBEUREN

Osterzell

Brensee

31

Our parking guide:

Coach parking Coach parks are to be found:

P3 P6 P2 P1 P7 P8

Parking in Fssen
P1 Fairground P2 Ice Sport Centre Arena

Morisseparkplatz (10 places, charge for parking) Kurhaus Fssen (5 places) Bundesleistungszentrum Eishockey (2 places) Festplatz (40 places) Bootshafen/Forggensee (6 places) Festspielhaus Neuschwanstein (20 places, charge for parking) Hopfen am See, Haus Hopfensee (4 places) Weiensee, Freibad (2 places)

To Kaufbeuren Augsburg (B 16)

Multistorey car park Luitpoldpark Multistorey car park City/Sparkassenhaus Multistorey car park Schwedenweg
(Kurhaus) (Kurhaus)

Pedestrian precinct or traffic-calmed area

Festspielhaus Neuschwanstein Festspielhaus Neuschwanstein

Harbour Festspielhaus Neuschwanstein

To A 7 and B 310

Forggensee

To Hopfen am See

HARBOUR

If you follow these signs you will soon find all the important car parks

* Private operator

Indoor swimming pool

Weidac hstrae

Aug sbur ger Stra e

R.-Schmid-Str.

Kemptener Strae

e ra ost Ott

Lu itp old str a e

To Weissensee/ Pfronten

KaiserMaximilianPlatz

Theresienstra e Hoch stifts trae

vonFreyb ergStra e

PARKGARAGE SCHWEDENWEG (KURHAUS)

Seb ast ian stra e

Kemptener Strae

FAIRGROUND ICE SPORT CENTRE ARENA MORISSE

To Schwangau, Munich (B 17) Royal Castles
e ra St ler o Tir

Strae Schwangauer

Romantic Road

Bad Faulenbach

To Reutte/Tyrol (B 17) Austria

by TANNER-WERBUNG, 87484 Nesselwang, 0804-15-2

Rupprechtstrae

Augustenstrae